Commentary

• 2025.09.02 The Guardian - ICE obtains access to Israeli-made spyware that can hack phones and encrypted apps

  The Guardian reports on the contract between ICE and Paragon, stating that it would allow ICE to access highly sophisticated spyware that can hack into any phone for sensitive information, including data on encrypted applications. DHS first entered the contract with Paragon in late 2024, but the contract was paused pending compliance review to ensure that it adhered to an executive order restricting the government’s use of spyware. First Amendment scholars, legal advocates, and elected officials have raised concerns over the spyware's threat to free speech and privacy, as well as counterintelligence risks.

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• 2025.09.29 Reason - ICE Doesn't Want You To Know Why They Bought a Phone Cracking System

  Reason reports that ICE "has been massively expanding its domestic surveillance capabilities without a public explanation." Reason notes that ICE has offered only vague justifications for its recent technology contracts, such as with Paragon, and heavily redacted information in public documents on the technology's capabilities and purposes. Companies like Cellebrite have also asked police to keep use of their devices "as hush hush as possible."

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• 2025.10.06 House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Letter to DHS Secretary Noem re Spyware

  Representatives Summer Lee, Shontel Brown, and Yassamin Ansari led a letter sent to DHS Secretary Noem discussing concerns about ICE's contract with Paragon Solutions, particularly its surveillance product Graphite. The letter argues that the contract threatens privacy, constitutional protections, and civil liberties. The lawmakers worry "ICE will abuse Graphite software to target immigrants, people of color, and individuals who express opposition to ICE's repeated attacks on the rule of law." It also sought greater transparency and access to communications and documents regarding the software and ICE's strategy for deploying it.

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• 2025.12.26 Politico - ICE’s interest in high-tech gear raises new questions: ‘What is it for?’

  Politico describes how ICE has increased its spending on surveillance technology, reporting that the agency is looking to spend more than $300 million under the Trump administration for social-media monitoring tools, facial recognition software, license plate readers, and services to find where people live and work.

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• 2026.01.29 Washington Post - The powerful tools in ICE’s arsenal to track suspects and protesters

  The Washington Post reports that federal immigration officers across Minnesota and beyond are equipped with an expanded arsenal of advanced surveillance technologies such as facial recognition, biometric trackers, license-plate readers, cell-phone location data, spyware, and drones. ICE has thereby broadened its enforcement scope, asserting authority to use these tools not only for immigration enforcement, but also to monitor and investigate anti-ICE protest networks including U.S. citizens. Reports document real-time facial scans of citizens, expanded data purchases from commercial brokers, deployment of cell-site simulators and digital forensics tools, and growing use of drones for surveillance of protests and enforcement operations.

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